Police want school alcohol lessons

MANADO, North Sulawesi: North Sulawesi Police chief Brig. Gen. Erald Dotulong stated here on Thursday that it is time to teach school students the dangers of being drunk.

"There should be a special class about the dangers of being intoxicated," Erald told reporters.

"Police will propose to the provincial office of the Ministry of National Education here, to include such lessons in the curriculum," he said, as quoted by Antara.

North Sulawesi ranks seventh in the number of criminal cases in this country, of which 60 percent are said to be alcohol- related.

The provincial administration has tried to reduce the number of drunks in the region by imposing Provincial Regulation No. 18/2000 which imposes a six-month sentence and a Rp 5 million (US$454.5) fine for anyone caught drunk in public.

"The regulation had be imposed earlier this year and is followed up regularly by routine police operations called Burako," Erald said.

Separately, the head of the Ministry's office, Dirk P. Togas, welcomed the idea, saying that the drinking problem is very much related to ethics. (hdn)